Tag Archives: Healthy Lifestyle

There will be no grazie to Grazia Magazine who recently photoshopped Kate Middleton‘s already thin frame down to waif size for their Royal Wedding edition cover.

After months of denying any alterations to the photo, Grazia finally admitted that the too-skinny result was a Photoshop accident. The magazine defended itself, saying there were no solo images of Kate leaving Westminster Abbey in her Alexander McQueen gown so a photo of the new couple had to be altered. Grazia editors photoshopped Prince William out of the photo, forcing them to copy over another arm for her and inadvertently making her appear smaller.

“[Grazia] would like to reassure all our readers that we did not purposely make any alternations to the Duchess of Cambridge’s image to make her appear slimmer, and we are sorry if this process gave that impression,” an apology statement read in the magazine.

I recently stumbled upon a very interesting article: “9 Secrets Your Personal Trainer Doesn’t Want You to Know.” As a certified personal trainer myself, I read through each “secret,” mostly nodding my head. Because – believe it or not – they’re mostly true. Maybe they’re not all true for me personally as a trainer, but I can easily attribute them to other trainers – both good ones and not-so-good ones- I’ve worked with.

I know a number of trainers who have relied on coffeeand cigarettes to stave off hunger in order to fit in a smaller-sized workout pant. I know a lot of trainers who work out hard, and often play hard — pounding beers and pizza most of the weekend. There are definitely trainers who dial up the customer service for higher-profile clients, and I’d be remiss to not admit that some clients I’ve had myself didn’t really need me to get a good workout. Also, believe me that all trainers hate it when you cancel an appointment at the last minute, even if you do pay for the session.

Surprised? Don’t be. Personal trainers really aren’t that different from you. Sure, they have more workout experience and knowledge than you do, and them standing there with that clipboard and correcting your form makes them seem like they’re superhuman sometimes, but they have a lot of the same health and wellness hang-ups and struggles that you probably do.

Stopping by the pharmacy is usually an inconvenient and time-wasting errand most people don’t look forward to. Long lines and lots of waiting, all surrounded by sick people trying not to get coughed on doesn’t make for a place you want to hang out at for long.

Unfortunately, the pharmacy gets a bad rap. As a pharmacist, I know it’s not just about sick people and picking up your pills. The pharmacy can be a great health resource for you and your family, if you know how to take advantage of it, and how to get in and get out quickly. Here are 10 ways you can make your trip to the pharmacy more efficient.

1. Use the pharmacy services that are available.

If you are sick, the best thing you can do is use the drive-thru or have someone else drop off and pick up your prescription. If you need a refill for a maintenance medication for cholesterol, blood pressure or even birth control, request a fill over the phone or online. Many pharmacies are doing automatic refill by filling prescriptions a few days before you are due for your next refill. This will keep your more compliant and you won’t have to worry about running out of medication. This will save you time and gas as it will hopefully be ready at the time you request.

Bariatric weight loss surgery is on the rise every year in America. Between 200,000 and 250,000 adults receive bariatric surgery annually. A smaller statistic that seems to carry more weight is the fact that about 1,000 American teenagers received some sort of weight loss surgery last year and the number is increasing every day.

The most common types of bariactric procedures are gastric bypass, gastric banding, and sleeve gastrectomy, and all involve surgery which is very risky, especially for teenagers.

While some of the risks for post-op teenagers come from the surgery itself, other risks come from the ability of the patient to follow rules. Since the procedures limit the amount of food one can eat, malnutrition is a very serious threat, made worse for teenagers who are still developing and need those nutrients for proper growth. Because of the risk of malnutrition, most patients are required to be on a strict vitamin regimen for the rest of their lives to ensure the body receives the vital elements it can no longer obtain from food.

America is the home of the free and the… unhealthy? Although Americans have earned this reputation recently due to our many fast food restaurants, hectic lifestyles, and lack of focus on balance in our everyday lives, we should not automatically be assumed to be an unhealthy nation.

Minneapolis, MN is America's Healthiest City

There are plenty of Americans – including you, if you are reading this article and visiting this website – who really do care about maintaining healthy lives by eating nutritious and balanced diets while also exercising on a regular basis. Now, the American College of Sports Medicine has compiled much data and researched statistics that prove that many American cities are actually very healthy. The 50 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the USA were evaluated on the personal health of their citizens, community data, and environmental data, and assigned a score from 1-100.

According to the health experts at Men’s Health, bad habits set up neural pathways in the brain, which is part of what makes them so hard to break. Once a prompt arrives, the brain can easily shift into autopilot after that pathway is established. Bean, a senior contributing editor, will share some quick to tips to overcoming these bad habits for good.

Most people want to live long, healthy, and personally fulfilling lives. Unfortunately, there’s not a Fountain of Youth that will magically give you these things. If there was, I bet we would all be waiting in line for a glass of water from that spring. However, there are some things you can do to improve the quality and length of your life.

Get Physical. Physical fitness is a great way to keep yourself healthy and in shape. All you need to do is add 20 minutes of fitness to your day. Try something that is fun for you, whether it is dancing, walking, yoga, or something else entirely.

Milk It. You need calcium in your diet to prevent osteoporosis. Try eating at least one food that contains high levels of natural calcium, such as dairy products, salmon, and leafy greens.

One of my favorite things to do when I’m sick is take a long, hot shower without the bathroom fan on. A hot shower can loosen muscles, relax the mind and clear congestion. New research is suggesting that steam inhalation may do more than loosen mucous and congested sinuses, it could actually provide a cure for the common cold.

Most colds are caused by the rhinovirus which is rendered inactive at temperatures above 109 degrees Fahrenheit. Logically, one can assume that steam treatments, which raise the temperature in the nose to the required 109 degrees, would kill any rhinovirus that is present. There are some studies that back up that logic but, unfortunately, the results are mixed. Only three out of six studies showed supporting evidence that steam inhalation can cure colds. According to The New York Times, the remaining three studies “found either a worsening of symptoms or no change at all in antibody levels or shedding of viruses.”

Tune in this Thursday, January 13 to the Oprah Show when Dr. Oz tells you what five things you need to do in 2011 to be healthy.

America’s favorite doctor made his mark by appearing on the Oprah Show a few years ago. Since then, Dr. Oz has developed his own show, the Dr. Oz Show, but he continues to make appearances on the Oprah Show, especially when a health issue hits center stage. On this episode, Dr. Oz gives you his five must-do’s in order to save your life. Plus, learn about the thing you need to in order to lose weight this year. (more…)

October 16 is International Fitness Day! Join people from around the world celebrating the day dedicated to health, fitness and charitable giving to help end the obesity epidemic. International Fitness Day is designed to encourage everyone to get up, out, and exercise at least 30-minutes that day, doing whatever kind of exercise you enjoy doing, and eat healthy all day long.

Need some ideas of activities you can do to join in the festivities? Try one of these on for size:

The information provided within this site is strictly for the purposes of information only and is not a replacement or substitute for professional advice, doctors visit or treatment. The provided content on this site should serve, at most, as a companion to a professional consult. It should under no circumstance replace the advice of your primary care provider. You should always consult your primary care physician prior to starting any new fitness, nutrition or weight loss regime.